Leinster Rugby secured their first United Rugby Championship Cup, beating the Vodacom Bulls 32-07 at Croke Park on Saturday in front of an Irish record 46,127 supporters. Leinster scored four tries to one by the Vodacom Bulls in a dominant performance by the new champions.
A disciplined Leinster scored three tries in the opening twenty-five minutes to lead 19-00 against a Bulls team whose lack of discipline made it easy for Leinster. However, the final fifteen minutes belonged to the Bulls, which they could not convert into points, going into the second half trailing 00-19. Leinster was content in the second half to defend their lead, which proved to be more than adequate to secure their first United Rugby Championship title. A late try by Fintan Gunne sealed an impressive 32-07 win for first-time champions, Leinster.
Leinster started like a house on fire, and captain Jack Conan bulldozed his way over the Bulls' tryline off the back of a lineout-maul after just seven minutes of play. Prendergast converted to extend the Leinster lead to 07-00.
Leinster used cleverly placed kicks to attack, and a kick by Luke McGrath from the back of a scrum was toed forward for Jordie Barrett to fall on the ball, scoring the hosts' second try. Prendergast's conversion made it 14-00 after fourteen minutes of play.
Ill-discipline by the Bulls, once again, gave Leinster a lineout on the five-meter line, from which Josh van der Flier scored to extend Leinster's lead to 19-00 and sixteen minutes still to play in the first half.
The Bulls started to claw their way back in the game and launched wave after wave of attacks; however, they had to go into the second half with no points to show for the dominance in the final ten minutes. Leinster led 19-00 after forty minutes of play.
Sam Predergast converted an early penalty, whereafter the Bulls continued their dominance until Akker van der Merwe scored from the back of the line-out maul to cut Leinster's lead to 22-07 after ten minutes of play in the second half.
Sam Predergast converted a second penalty with thirteen minutes to play in the second half.
With seven minutes to play, Fintan Gunne wrapped around and beat two "defenders" to crash over the Bulls' tryline. Ross Byrne converted to make it game, set and match, securing a 32-07 win.
Scorers:
Leinster Rugby: Tries: Dan Sheehan, Jordie Barrett, Josh van der Flier. Conversions: Sam Prendergast (2). Penalties: Sam Prendergast (2).
Vodacom Bulls: Try: Akker van der Merwe. Conversion: Johan Goosen.
Teams:
Leinster Rugby: 15 Jimmy O’Brien, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 James Lowe, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Luke Mcgrath, 8 Jack Conan (c), 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Ryan Baird, 5 James Ryan, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Andrew Porter. Replacements: 16 Rónan Kelleher, 17 Jack Boyle, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Max Deegan, 21 Fintan Gunne, 22 Ross Byrne, 23 Jamie Osborne.
Vodacom Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sebastian de Klerk, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Marcell Coetzee, 7 Ruan Nortje (c), 6 Marco van Staden, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels. Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Jannes Kirsten, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Keagan Johannes, 23 Devon Williams.
